Trade for Development Centre – BTC (Belgian Development Agency)
3.
Organic ginger
3.1.
Local production
Tanzanian production of ginger amounted to approximately 4.3 thousand tonnes in 2010/11, which is considerably more than production levels of the years before. Ginger is produced in many parts of the country: Coast, Tanga, Mbeya, Ruvuma, Morogoro, Kilimanjaro, Kigoma and Kagera regions. 16
Table 3.1. Local ginger production , in tonnes, 2006-2011 2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2,694
2,700
1,485
2,876
4,267
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives
Ginger production in Tanzania is dominated by smallholders who use little or no agricultural inputs at all. Therefore, many of them produce organically by default. Although only a small share of them is organically certified (by third party certification), efforts by TOAM have been initiated to certify the main producing associations in Tanga, Kilimanjaro and Ruvuma regions. Examples of non-certified organic production are MAMBA Ginger Growers Rural Cooperative Ltd. in Kilimanjaro region, Kilimo Mseto Welei (KIMSEWE), USHIRIKA WA KILIMO HAI TANGAWIZI NKHOMBO and Mcharo Organic Agriculture (T) Ltd all in Tanga region and Kiwata in Ruvuma region. All mentioned groups/associations work together with TOAM. Kiwata works also with RUCODIA (NGO) to improve the farmers’ skill in organic farming, business and value addition. It includes 300 farmers working on plots ranging from ¼ to 3 acres. Kiwata’s total production of non-certified organic ginger amounted to 75 tonnes and is expected to increase considerably. Kiwata has taken initial steps towards Kilimohai certification by TanCert. No data on certified organic ginger production are available. Based on interviews with the main processors of locally sourced ginger, a production level of 60-80 tonnes annually is a rough indication. Real production should be somewhat higher, as sales to independent traders and foreign companies are not taken into account in this estimation. Furthermore, amounts can fluctuate strongly from year to year due to weather conditions. Certified organic ginger is produced in several regions but mainly in Tanga and Zanzibar. Kasulu in Kigoma region used to be major sources of organic ginger, before a mistrust and breach of contracts between the only buyer and farmers occurred. TAZOP (organic processor) used to buy from organic ginger farmers in Kasulu. However, when a fungal disease affected Ugandan ginger crops, Ugandan buyers approached Tanzanian farmers in Kasulu, driving up local prices to levels TAZOP was not able to offer. With time the same disease wiped out ginger production in Kasulu. While it was found that discontinuing production for a certain time would ensure future return to productivity, local farmers opted to use chemicals to control the disease. As this would make the ginger no longer organically certified, TAZOP refused to buy and advised farmers to follow technical advice. When Ugandan production returned to normal and this market was also lost, farmers became highly disappointed. Efforts by TAZOP to introduce new seeds failed due to high cost of certification per farmer, as only a few farmers opted to re-start. During this period TAZOP shifted to Tanga where the company is now established. According to TAZOP, Kasulu remains the best place for ginger production, yielding high oil content ginger which gets good prices on the market. Farming has started again but remains uncertified.
16
Figures do not distinguish between conventional and organic production
12